Public Sector Pay
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-11
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Michael Murphy (FG), Tipperary South

I support the long-term aspiration of Irish unity based on consent. However, if we are serious about this aspiration, we also need to be serious about the practicalities that come with it and the financial implications. Right now, there is little discussion about the fiscal implications of Irish unification, particularly disparities that exist in public sector pay and pensions, social protection systems, taxation, health and infrastructure. This is not a political question. It is simply a question of good governance and having all of the information. The Good Friday Agreement provides a democratic pathway for constitutional change, but that pathway requires facts, not assumptions. My question is simple. Has the Department assessed the potential cost implications for the State? If we want to be informed and want responsible debate, we must first establish a clear understanding of the potential financial landscape.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-11/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-11